Counting On Me
by Sashimi-Chan
Summary: In the world swept by infection, two acts of tragedy will play out, each befalling our main characters. NICKxELLIS. Rated for later chapters, which will include non-con.
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1- EXORSUS_

'_In the scope of things, it isn't a _horrible _day…'_ Nick mused to himself as he observed his surroundings.

The sun was shining down vibrantly from its nearly white, cloudless place in the sky, its long rays coming to blanket over the four people picking their way across a deserted cow pasture, giving a dull shine to their weary faces. A gentle, ambling wind was blowing pleasantly between them, lifting their hair playfully, and sending a shivering ripple through the knee-high prairie grass. On any other occasion, it would have been nice to stop and enjoy it, however, Nick doubted it would it would be hard to even enjoy a luxury cruise to Fiji, much less a nice day like this, considering the population of mindless, shuffling Infected that wanted to tear any sane human being apart for a meal at any opportunity.

These four 'survivors' of this aptly named 'Zombieocalypse' had been traversing the South Eastern part of the country for the better part of a month, risking becoming one of the masses or death on the basis that they were some of the very few alive who had not been evacuated from the danger zones that encompassed the majority of the country. This team of four comprised of very diverse people: Nick- the gambler from Las Vegas, Ellis- The native Savannah-born mechanic, Rochelle- the wayward reporter, and their leader figure- Coach, who, in employment, was exactly that- a high school football coach.

Today, they had already been traveling for over seven long hours, and the nearest safe house, which was just beyond the containment pens, was a beacon of hope, spurring them onwards swiftly as the benevolent sun began to glide downward in the heavens, on its never-changing path to the horizon. It seemed that they wouldn't have to race against time to ensure their safety before night fell, as was the norm.

"Man, I can't wait tuh put mah feet up. I haven't walked this much since me and mah Buddy Keith reckoned it would be fun tuh try an' _walk_ all the way tuh Atlanta an' back without anythin' to eat or nuthin'." Ellis piped up, rubbing his neck with a hand.

"How did that turn out?" Nick turned to ask, quirking an eyebrow and relenting a smirk, the expression breaking down his stern façade.

"Well, we got about… Damn, a good twenty miles down, an' slept outside. Mosquito bites over Ninety percent of our bodies. An' when we saw a bear that morning', we 'bout ran each other over tryin' tuh get home!" he chortled as he relayed the tale, eyes glittering with mirth.

'_This 'Keith' has to be a pretty messed up guy,' _Nick noted, looking away from the other man, gaze focusing on an abandoned carcass, the bones stripped clean and bleach white from the sun.

"Hold up. I gotta tie mah shoe," He heard Ellis say suddenly.

Nick stopped to wait for the kid, his attention snapping back to the younger man, as his eyes hungrily consumed the view before him openly, the sound of Coach and Rochelle's pacing footsteps fading away ahead of them.

The truth was that the hick had stirred very strong feelings in him, and he, in return had evoked the same powerful reactions from the mechanic.

In the short time that they had to know each other, Nick and Ellis had inadvertently, yet irrevocably come to feel unabashed love for one another.

And they both wished that it would make them feel better, rather than create more problems, however… Coach and Rochelle _hated_ it. Sidelong glances of contempt and disgust, snide comments, and even withheld supplies had been their reward ever since the pair had been 'caught' giving each other-in what Nick's opinion, very chaste- kisses.

It still didn't put them at ease that they knew why other half of their team was sneaking around under their noses.

For a while, Nick and Ellis were not permitted to be anywhere with each other without someone else present. Coach and Rochelle soon learned that wouldn't work-mainly because they couldn't enforce it- and had changed tactics. Now they acted as if neither of them ever existed.

Socially, Nick didn't give a shit, but he had his misgivings about their survival rate, now that it was cut in half. Ellis, who had socialized with them often, had simply moved on without a word after a few disastrous attempts at conversation. So the two groups distanced themselves without much fuss. In fact, the only reason the four survivors stuck together was because of their similar destination.

Nick pondered these thoughts as Ellis straightened back up, fixing him with a confident blue-eyed gaze.

"Let's keep moving," The older man suggested, taking a step forward, eyeing the distance between Coach and Rochelle.

Ellis simply nodded, and the pair quickened their pace, catching up with the other survivors. They all were silent as they walked to the edge of the wide-open field, and stopped, surveying their next obstacle. It was a ban with a high vaulted ceiling, made completely of steel. Lined up to direct the flow of cattle were large steel fences, each six feet high with large gaps in them between each of the cylindrical bars. Though there was nothing stopping them from climbing straight through them, they decided it would leave them too vulnerable to attacks in the darkening enclosure. So instead, they proceeded through the designated path in the labyrinthine set-up, keeping their eyes out, and ears strained for telltale growls.

"Aww Man!" Ellis exclaimed, breaking the silence, and stopping dead in his tracks. "Is that? Oh Yeah! It _is_!" The mechanic looked like he had seen a lost friend. He ran ahead of them, and less than a minute later, they heard a stifled cry of amazement.

"It's a squeeze chute! Wow… it's even got an old Ford motor…" His voice wasn't far away, but they couldn't see him in the gathering dusk.

"Man, oh man, I remember when mah buddy Dave had me come over an' fix his," he paused, and Nick suddenly pictured the hick running his hands over it, blue eyes glazed over. "Somehow, he managed tuh stick a whole-"

But what _had_ been lodged in the device in question, the survivors would perhaps never know, as the mechanic's speech was cut off abruptly.

A strangled scream pierced the dark air, an edge of panic evident.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2- TERROR_

Coach and Rochelle froze, and flashed each other worried glances.

Nick, however…

"_Move!_" He roared, pushing past the others, gun held high, and steady.

His gaze darted everywhere, catching phantom shapes in the swimming blackness. Worry gnawed at his insides as he looked for his companion, and he clambered through the iron bars, hearing the cries of suffering get louder.

After what seemed like too long for Nick's comfort, he found Ellis.

The sight that yawned before him made his stomach turn over.

Ellis was pinned under a Hunter, arms up in defense against the horror. Beneath him, Nick realized with dread rising, a substantial amount of blood mixed was mixed with the dusty rust coloured dirt.

His eyes swiveled over to Nick, and he opened his mouth in a silent scream.

Wasting no time, Nick leapt into action, pushing the infected off of the hick with a bone-crunching kick, and aimed a resolute shot between its effervescent yellow eyes. The shot echoed eerily in the metal structure, and the Hunter slumped sideways, as if in slow motion.

The conman stared at it for a second before tearing his attention away from it, bile rising in his throat. His gaze then settled on Ellis, steeling himself to assess the severity of his wounds.

They were far worse than he imagined.

The mechanic's arms, having been raised as a feeble defense(he had discarded his weapon in order to examine the 'squeeze chute'), had received the brunt of the attack , and, as a result, were shredded beyond recognition, and with a sickening jolt, the cardshark realized that the smooth curve of bone was visible between the torn flesh that was hanging from his arm uselessly, the indentation of cruel, forgiving claw marks discernable. Blood poured down the hick's still raised arms, pooling on his shirt, the crimson liquid blooming ever wider on the grimy fabric.

Nick's eyes traveled to Ellis's chest, and saw that there too, claws had been slashed across his skin, no doubt having been obtained when the infected pounced on him, and though these injuries were distinct, they were not nearly as severe.

"El…Can you hear me?" Nick spoke, walking over to his fallen companion, and bending down, trying to ascertain any more lacerations.

His breath hitched as his sight came to rest on the younger man's neck, realizing why the mechanic had it covered.

Deep set teeth marks, perfectly aligned, like the serrations of a cookie cutter had neatly scraped deep lines where the Hunter's maw had been shoved away. Nick then acknowledged, with a shudder, that if he had been a second later, Ellis would have a gaping hole in his trachea to show for this encounter.

"Yeah…" Ellis replied hoarsely, fixing Nick with a pained stare.

"What the hell happened?" Coach's voice boomed behind them as he and Rochelle caught up.

"Ellis is…He's hurt really badly." Nick relayed solemnly, swiveling to give a hard stare.

He watched as the other two survivors took in Ellis's condition, noting how quickly, like he, had become stone-faced in shock and dread.

Coach looked to Nick a second later.

"We need to get him to the safe house," he grunted slowly, as if not wanting Nick to believe, even for a fraction of a second, that he personally cared about the fallen teammate. He took his eyes off of the conman, and nodded toward the reinforced door within sight.

Swallowing his vexation, Nick nodded, and reached over to grab Ellis under the shoulder, Coach mirroring him on the opposite side, careful not to touch any of his wounds.

"Alright, we're going to lift you up on the count of three, and carry you to the saferoom so I can get you fixed up," Nick told the wounded survivor softly, and received a shaky nod in reply.

"1..."

Ellis pulled his legs up to help him push off.

"2..."

Nick slid a hand under the younger man's back.

"3!"

In a fluid motion, Coach and Nick simultaneously pulled the young man up, and Ellis pushed with his legs, steadily placing his weight on them.

With a wince, he gave them a weak pseudo thumbs-up, and began to walk towards the door with his arms held at an awkward angle, trying to keep anything from getting in his wounds, and with resolution, plowed forward with Nick at his side, steadying his gait.


End file.
